The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-06-24
SHORT VISITS AXE THE BEST.

1t is not always wise to make a rule that
no one is to be admitted during the even
ings; on the contrary, a guest may be
heartily welcomed if it is known at the
outset that he has com for a short time.
that he is cheerful and friendly, and anus
ing, and, in short, worth listening to and
entertaining. From the boresome visitor
at all times, good Lord, deliver us. But
the ill-coneealed gloom that settles down
upon one tired face after another, while the
clock strikes the succeeding half hours,
n each member Of the family in turn
comes despairingly to the rescue of the fall
tering conversation, is 4 deplorable thing.
We are responsible for the state of our con-
sciences, and if we have allowed them to
become SO dull that they do not give us
the unmistakable warning to go away
then we must not fret if we are warded off.
dreaded and called bores. ] was delighted
to hear some II say, not-long ago, that
she did not think she had any right to
spend two hours at a time with any friend,
without a special invitation, since it could
not fail to be an interruption; and it gave
JOY to my heart that one person so respect
ed the rights Of others. Picture some one,
who has assured himself that he is no tlike-
ly to find amusement under his own roof,
setting forth to find a more agreeable
place in which to spend his evening. lie
hunts from door to door, finding that one
family has honestly paid it's money and
gone to a play. another Is dining out, the
third enjoying its invited guests, while at
the fourth he is met at sight with the in
formation that the ladies are engaged.
Perhaps at the fifth he gains an entrance.
One person rises hurriedly from the sofa;
another comes reluctantly from a desk,
where some L.otes and letters must be
written at some time during that evening,
and the stricken group resigns itself to the
demands of friendship and society. The
master Of the house returns presently to
his vocation, with a brave excuse. 1t may
be 5 o'clock when the guest comes; it may
be 0, and he may be ~kind-hearted and IN
Objectionable; he may even be profitable
and entertaining; but he stays until after
10; everybody thinks That he never means
to go. and inwardlY regrets his presence.
For half an hour he could ave felt sure Of
welcome; in that time he certainly could
haye said and lone all that was worth do
ing, and rave been asked to stay longer,
or to come again soon, when he took
leave.
There is no greater compliment and
tribute TO ones integrity than to be fairly
entreated to sit down for ten minutes long
er. OF course, We treat each other eivilly
in an evening visit, but it is a great deal
better to come away too soon than to stay
too late. In a busy, over-worked and over
hurried city life, nothing is so precious asa
quiet evening to ones self, or even a part
of one. We all wisll-or ought to wish
to make life pleasant for ourselves and
other people, and are ready to be generous
even with our time; but no one likes to be
plundered and defrauded. Ii is the under
lying principle Of our neighbours action
and conduct toward us which makes us
thankful or resentful when he comes to
visit us.-Atlantic Monthly.